Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer Review: Is the £400 Price Tag Worth It?

Tell any hair-care enthusiast you’re thinking about upgrading your hair dryer, and you’ll likely hear the same question: “Will you buy a Dyson?” This would have seemed absurd just over a decade ago when Dyson was synonymous with vacuum cleaners, but not since they revolutionized the luxury hair-care market in 2016 with their groundbreaking Supersonic hair dryer.

The original Supersonic completely rewrote the hair dryer rulebook with its distinctive design, lightweight feel, and remarkably quiet operation. Now, eight years later, Dyson has launched the Supersonic Nural—an upgraded version packed with innovative new features.

Upgrading to one of the best hair dryers remains one of my top beauty recommendations: they offer superior heat control and faster drying times. But does anyone really need to spend up to £400 on a hair dryer?

After extensively testing the Supersonic Nural hair dryer and comparing it against 19 other models, I was largely impressed. However, several drawbacks mean this isn’t a straightforward recommendation.

How I Tested

Over the course of a month testing the Supersonic Nural, I carefully documented how my hair looked, felt, and finished after each use. I timed how long it took to rough-dry my hair and achieve a smooth blow-dry, evaluated the effectiveness of the scalp-protect mode, and assessed the versatility and intuitiveness of the controls for precise styling.

I tested every attachment included with the dryer, hoping to achieve quick drying times while leaving my hair with minimal frizz and a healthy feel. Comfort was equally important—I didn’t want my arms to ache or experience wrist strain during use.

For more quantitative data, I used an anemometer to measure the Supersonic Nural’s maximum wind speed and a sound meter to assess noise levels from 15cm away. I compiled all this data into my comparison spreadsheet to see how the dryer stacked up against the competition.

What You Need to Know

Dyson hair dryers are notoriously expensive. Prices start at £219 for the original Supersonic with its concentrator nozzle attachment and climb to £450 for the latest Supersonic R hair dryer—Dyson’s smallest, lightest, and most powerful model.

Positioned between these two is the £400 Supersonic Nural. Like its siblings, it features intelligent heat control to prevent the excessive temperatures that can damage hair, and uses Dyson’s patented Air Multiplier technology to draw in surrounding air through its distinctive ring shape, delivering three times more airflow than conventional designs.

The Nural uses the Dyson Digital Motor V9, the same motor found in the original Supersonic. While this motor is slightly heavier and less powerful than the Hyperdymium motor in the Supersonic R, it still spins at an impressive 110,000 RPM—more than fast enough for most users.

On a fundamental level, the Nural offers three speed levels, three heat settings, and a continuous cool shot, all controlled by small buttons on the rear of the dryer. There’s also a dedicated button for turning scalp-protect mode on and off, a cool shot button on the handle, and a power switch. The 2.62m cord length is perfect for home use.

The most significant upgrade from the original is the scalp-protect mode. This innovative feature automatically adjusts the air temperature based on the dryer’s proximity to your scalp—the closer it gets, the lower the temperature becomes. This means you’ll never burn your scalp or damage delicate new hair growth. Dyson claims this technology strengthens the scalp barrier, balances scalp oils, and reduces visible flakes and shedding.

Another clever addition is pause detect, which automatically slows the dryer when it’s placed on a surface. This feature is particularly useful when sectioning hair during drying or when setting down the dryer during a round-brush blow-dry.

Dyson offers eight different magnetic attachments for the Nural. Whether you choose the straight and wavy version or the curly and coily version, you’ll receive five attachments in the box, with additional attachments available for separate purchase.

All Nural attachments feature RFID tags programmed with ideal heat and speed settings, eliminating guesswork for users. If you prefer to customize settings, the dryer will remember your preferences for each attachment.

This, combined with the premium design, is one of the main reasons to invest in a Dyson hair dryer over other high-end options. Most competitors only include a concentrator nozzle and diffuser, with the closest equivalent in attachment range being the £220 Shark SpeedStyle Pro. While the Shark also features a Scalp Shield mode, it’s not automatic or proximity-based like the Nural’s—instead, it’s activated via a button on the handle, making it no different from manually reducing temperature on any standard dryer.

Specifications

Power: 1,600W
Motor speed: 110,000 RPM
Temperature settings: Three, plus a cold shot
Speed settings: Three
Attachments:
Straight + Wavy version: Diffuser, flyaway smoother, smoothing nozzle, gentle air attachment, concentrator nozzle
Curly + Coily version: Gentle air attachment, wave+curl diffuser, wide-tooth comb, flyaway attachment, concentrator nozzle
Weight: 485g (without cord)
Maximum wind speed (tested): 29.2m/s
Volume range (tested): 75-81dB

What We Love

There’s much to appreciate about the Supersonic Nural. Its design is immediately striking—crafted from lightweight yet sturdy plastic with a metallic finish that exudes luxury. I tested the Nural in the limited-edition Amber Silk color, though it’s also available in blush pink, navy, or dark blue. Dyson has released various limited-edition colors over time, so it’s worth checking their website before purchasing.

The vegan leather presentation case—included with some limited editions or available separately for £60—adds another touch of luxury. It houses all attachments (except one, which I’ll address later). If you prefer to skip the case, the dryer is compact enough to fit in most vanity drawers.

The Nural is remarkably quiet, with volume levels ranging between 75 and 81dB in my tests. This makes it the second-quietest hair dryer I’ve tested, just slightly louder than the Cloud Nine Airshot Pro on its fastest settings.

I absolutely loved the scalp-protect mode, which made drying my hair comfortable and allowed me to relax during the process. This isn’t a luxury I typically enjoy with most hair dryers, which require manual temperature adjustment at the scalp or risk consequences.

The dryer took approximately seven minutes to rough-dry my hair—a few minutes slower than the most powerful models I’ve tested. However, my hair emerged feeling smooth and healthy, with the flyaway attachment quickly handling any stray hairs for an effortless finish that lasted until my next wash. The magnetic attachments were easy to swap, and the automatic settings allowed me to maximize their benefits without hassle.

I’m not particularly skilled at round-brush blow-dries—I haven’t quite mastered using a round brush, so I often end up sweating profusely with arms feeling like I’ve completed 40 reps by the end. But the Supersonic Nural’s lightweight, evenly balanced design ensured my arms and wrists didn’t feel strained, even when tackling difficult spots on the top of my head. The pause detect feature proved invaluable when sectioning my hair, a luxury I’ll miss when using other dryers.

The blow-dry results were beautifully smooth with plenty of volume where desired. The Dyson’s speed settings provided extra control when styling shorter hairs that frame my face, and the cool shot quickly set the style. My hair felt noticeably smoother than usual, thanks to being dried with gentler heat.

What We Don’t Love

Let’s address the obvious: the Supersonic Nural is expensive. At full price, you’re looking at around £400 (though you might find one for about £300 at the time of writing). There’s genuinely no need to spend this much, with plenty of equally powerful options available for less in our comprehensive hair dryer testing.

If you have a sensitive scalp and are tired of accidentally burning it, no other hair dryer offers the same level of automation as Dyson’s scalp-protect mode. However, the sensor isn’t perfect. During testing, it would sometimes lower the temperature unnecessarily. Fortunately, it never incorrectly increased the temperature in my tests, but the random lower temperatures were slightly frustrating since they added to overall drying times. You can easily disable scalp protect mode, of course, but you’d be missing one of the key selling points.

Another issue was that the presentation case—as gorgeous as it looks—didn’t have enough space to store all the attachments. No matter how much I rearranged them, I couldn’t get the diffuser attachment to fit, meaning it had to sit on top of the case gathering dust. For a case this expensive, that’s unacceptable.

Finally—and this is nitpicking—when I unboxed the hair dryer, I was prompted to download the MyDyson app. I’m not a fan of having random apps cluttering my phone, but I would make an exception if useful features were offered. Sadly, all you get with the Supersonic Nural is styling and maintenance advice—information that’s readily available online. If you buy the Nural, do yourself a favor and skip the app.

Warranty and Repairs

All Dyson hair-care products, including the Supersonic Nural, come with a two-year warranty. During this period, Dyson will repair or replace your hair dryer if it stops working. You can also purchase spare parts and replacement attachments directly from Dyson, which come with a one-year warranty.

Like all Dyson hair stylers, the Nural has a filter that needs cleaning monthly or when the LED cleaning light activates. This is straightforward: remove the filter cover at the bottom of the handle and gently clear any dust with the small cleaning brush provided. If necessary, you can use soapy water, but you’ll need to wait for the filter to dry completely before reassembling. Full cleaning instructions are in the manual or available on Dyson’s YouTube channel.

You can find product-specific troubleshooting tips on the Dyson support page, which is exactly where you’ll be directed if you download the app—another reason to skip the middleman. Dyson also operates a helpline (0800 298 0298) where you can book repairs if your model is under warranty.

If your Dyson stops working after the warranty expires, all isn’t necessarily lost. Secondhand sites like Sell My Dyson will buy old Dyson hair dryers to prevent all the parts from going to waste.

Should I Buy the Dyson Supersonic Nural?

There’s no avoiding it—the Supersonic Nural is a brilliant hair dryer that’s particularly well-suited to people with sensitive scalps. Scalp burns and damaged hair will become a thing of the past; it’s remarkably quiet with an attractive design, a clever pause-detect feature, and an excellent range of attachments. It’s clearly superior to hair dryers of the past. Whether that’s worth £400 will, of course, depend on your budget.

I’m not convinced. In fact, you can get a very good hair dryer for far less. For under £150, you can purchase the Head Jog Futaria hair dryer, which is lighter and faster. Or you could opt for the reliable Hershesons hair dryer, which is my top recommendation for most people. However, if you want to splurge on a luxury hair dryer and have a sensitive scalp, you certainly won’t regret buying the Supersonic Nural.

For more:

• The best hair dryers for smooth and speedy styling
• The best hot brushes for a salon finish at home
• The best hair straighteners for foolproof styling

Sarah Matthews is a consumer journalist specializing in health and beauty reviews. In her four years of product testing, she’s worked her way through countless hair styling, hair removal, light therapy, and skincare tools. Outside work, you’ll find her passionately advocating for the importance of using heat-protection spray every time you dry your hair.

Tags: Dyson, Supersonic Nural, hair dryer, luxury hair care, scalp protection, magnetic attachments, intelligent heat control, Air Multiplier technology, quiet hair dryer, premium beauty tools, hair styling innovation

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